


Home, sweet home

by NaroMoreau



Series: Flame in the wind [1]
Category: Far Cry 5
Genre: Angst, Angst and Porn, F/M, Implied/Referenced Torture, Love Confessions, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Porn With Plot, Porn with Feelings, Smut
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-01
Updated: 2019-03-01
Packaged: 2019-11-07 07:47:03
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 6,868
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17956484
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NaroMoreau/pseuds/NaroMoreau
Summary: Sharky had fallen for the Dep almost from day one but suddenly their relationship changes with a few well placed kisses and something else. She says nothing and he needs to know, is it just sex or there's something more?





	Home, sweet home

**Author's Note:**

> Because apparently I can't write PWP so have some feelings in the mix.
> 
> Thank you JulesHawke and LittleMissWrath for all your help ❤️

 

“Ah, fuck Sharky!”

It was a dream. A good fucking dream, he thought while his hips slammed against her round ass. His heart thrummed heavily in his ears, deafening the  screech of his brain that still wondered how their usual weird-ass flirt had ended with her bent over before him. He gave a deep thrust, his toes curling as he tried to keep the rush of his orgasm at bay, feeling those wonderful slick, ripple muscles of her gripping him tightly.  

“Shit, ah, please, don’t stop!” she begged, between gasps. _Dude, like that was doable._ His fingers dug into the flesh of her hips, almost scratching her skin in his eagerness to keep going, heaving throaty moans of sweet satisfaction.

She was in a world of her own, hands clasping the edge of the old mahogany desk desperately, head thrashing, blonde locks spilled down her neck. It was maddening, every whimper and moan leaving her parted lips sent his senses into overload, ‘till the point he didn’t even know his own fucking name.  

He leaned forward, chasing the contact and he pressed his chest tightly against her smooth back; god, he needed her so bad. He cupped her chin to catch her lips between his teeth, sucking in her ragged breaths and tasting the cherry flavor of her lip balm, trying not to think in the wet snapping sound of their love-making. It was sinful. A foul image of John Fucking Seed carving _lust_ on his chest broke in his mind coaxing a wince on his face. _No, no, fuck off_. She squirmed in his grip and he steadied himself without losing his pace, chewing on his bottom lip. He wanted to take his time, to make her holler ‘til she was full up on pleasure, make this moment last forever. But it was all too much and just so, all at once. He towered over her from behind and the sight of her flushed skin, his hands around her trim waist and the vision of his cock sliding in and out of her, almost toppled his will. Fuck, he was not gonna last long.

“Shit, Dep, can’t- _fuck_!-can't keep much longer,” he grunted, clawing at her hips, pounding with all he got.

She looked at him from under half lidded eyes and the glance she flashed him almost made him come right then and there. There was something feral and wild slithering behind her hunter green eyes. Jesus fuck, she was so beautiful it made his heart ache. The corner of her lip tugged up before her brow furrowed, face contracted in pleasure, a string of strangled curses pouring from her lips as he withdrew almost completely out just to slam back home. And again.  He rolled his hips making her cry out and taking the pointer he tried to keep the angle ‘til her breathing became more frantic and her walls clamped down on him. She came with a low whimper, giving a slow, final grind against him.

That was it. When he felt the rush washing over him, he tried to pull out just to be held in place by her hand at his hip.

“‘S ok, Shark,” she whispered hoarsely, “I wanna feel you.”

 _What the what_? His cock pulsed at her words and a groan broke from his throat unbidden as the familiar heat coursed through his limbs, white flashes popping behind his eyelids while he gave two deep, broad thrusts spilling himself inside her, clinging to her quivering body.

The moment broke just five seconds later when a burst of bullets ricocheted in the silence of the road outside. She almost ran away from him, eyes already fixed on her rifle on the floor. They hurriedly dressed, in a silence that could’ve been weird as fuck if it wasn’t thanks to them dog-shit minded peggies, before they bolted to the forest outside. When things cooled off, he stepped inside the old cabin ready to tell her, mind furiously working around words and sentences, ‘cause he really fucking wanted to tell her how she was so perfect every time he looked at her he just thanked Monkey fucking Jesus for the day she walked in his trailer park. And maybe let slip how crazy he was for her.

So he traipsed to her, finding her snuggled on an old couch.

“Dep?” He muttered more than said.

“Hey Shark,” she said taking off her boots, and laying down, her eyes slipping down his face as if he wasn’t fully there, “man, I feel like I can sleep for a week. Damn, I’m so really fucking tired, can’t keep my eyes open. Night.”

And just like that she rolled on her side, facing away from him. He stood there for a few seconds, contemplating her under the haze of silver light cast through the stained glass window. He dragged his steps heavily to the bed in the corner.

Hell if he knew what was going on.

\---------

The next couple of weeks brought nothing new as they kept making things go boom, just under Jacob’s nose. She hadn’t said a single word about what happened, laughing and acting like they hadn’t just fucked each other senseless less than two weeks ago. It irked him a little. Not that he’d say anything but his love for her grew by the day, kinda like a real-fucking-pathetic teenager crush, but way stronger, and he wanted to know if it had meant something. Sometimes he thought that maybe all had been just some bliss-induced shit, preying on his wildest dreams.

‘Til the night they bunked with the Whitetails. That Eli fella had been real cool giving them a small room for the two of them, leaving Cheeseburger to roam in the nearby secured forest.  When he entered the pitch-black room, he assumed the Dep was already snoozing, hearing the soft rhythm of her breathing. He tossed his hoodie aside, shucking off his jeans and lay on the bottom bunk as accorded, a bit conscious about the fact they were alone in an enclosed space. His hands pricked with the need to hold her again, and when the memories from that night flashed before his eyes, he repressed a moan biting his fist. His hand traveled south, under the waistband of his boxers, closing around his shaft. He was already hard. The idea of jacking off under Dep’s bunk, thinking about her, hadn’t still settled on his mind, when he felt the mattress drooping, startling the shit out of him.

“Fuck!”

“Relax, it’s just me,” she said in a hoarse whisper, her hand closing around his exposed erection, “is there something I can help you with, maybe?” she was almost purring and he’d bet his flamethrower there was a shit-eating grin plastered on her face right now.

His tongue had stuck to his palate, brain definitely going dead.

“Shorty? ah-- are you sure?” he breathed out, feeling her straddling him.

She responded giving him a hungry kiss, biting on his lower lip, her hand sliding up and down his length. He groaned gripping her tightly, feeling the smooth surface of her naked skin, her hot center already dripping on his lower abs. _Fuck, shit, fuck!_ After a moment she broke off the kiss, peppering his jaw with small kisses, nipping the skin of his neck, and he couldn’t fight back the airy grunts bursting from his lips. Her fingers raked along the lean muscles of his chest, her tongue tracing a sodden southbound path.

He almost choked on a breath when her hot mouth wrapped around the tip of his cock, bobbing her head up and down as she took a bit more of him each time. He almost lost it. Her tongue glided along his shaft, sucking hard on him and he bucked his hips unconsciously into that delicious warmth. He groaned and whimpered at how perfect it was. How perfect she was. Not at all as he’d imagined during those quick self-caring rounds, thinking about her, but a thousand times better. Head cast back on the pillow, one of his hands gripped the sheets so hard he was sure his knuckles were white, as the other carded on her soft locks aware of not pulling too hard as he felt his tip hitting the back of her throat. The familiar pressure started building in his balls, that mind-blowing heat unfurling at the bottom of his spine. Shit, he was almost there. She hummed, the vibration wrecking pleasure across his body, and as amazing as it’d be to let go, he wanted something else.

“Dep, wait!” He grabbed her shoulders, stopping her abruptly, hearing his dick leaving her mouth with a pop. He gulped.

“Is something wrong?” she asked with a slight tint of concern.

“No, it’s just--.” Man it was hard asking when he wasn’t even sure he should’ve been asking.  Everything was already fucking surreal, more than he could’ve hoped for. But to hell with it. “Fuck Dep, I wanna be inside you,” he rasped, “so fucking much.”

She said nothing, but he instantly felt her moving up, her warm, swollen lips closing around his. She curled her tongue inside his mouth, rolling around his, and to be able to taste himself in her mouth almost drove him to the edge. She closed her hand around his cock, guiding him to her entrance and plunged onto him, without breaking the kiss. A harsh groan  was the telltale of his sheer need, and he squeezed her ass cheeks as she rolled her hips, taking him to the hilt. She felt so good, so hot and tight, it took him a lot of will not to just let go.

He’d give anything to be able to see her riding him, her body bouncing on his cock, as his hands went blindly to cup her breasts, thumbs circling her tender nipples. Her breathy moans were becoming cracked whimpers that grew louder each time he stretched her, sinking into her. It was maybe moronic but it gave him a sense of pride he couldn’t- _wouldn’t_ \- shake off. He laced his arms around her waist, pulling her down, taking one of her nipples in his mouth, sucking and lapping at it. Fuck, he couldn’t have enough of her. She came around his dick with a keen cry and a hellish grip.

He gave a growl of surrender, whimpering in her ear. “Dep, shit--‘bout to buss a nut here--”

“Sh,” she hissed brushing his earshell with her lips. “Come for me Sharky, come deep inside me.”

He was a goner. He busted two seconds later burying his face and low grunts in the crook of her neck, holding her close against him.

She lay draped on his chest for a few minutes, his half-hard cock sliding out of her and he felt the urge to say something. To let her know how crazy he was for her.

“Dep, I--.” That was as far as he got before she stood up, making him almost cry at the loss of her scent, her touch and her warmth.

“I know, you must be wanting to doze off,” she said in a low whisper, giving him a sweet kiss and for a moment he was tempted to not let her go. “Thanks, Shark.”

He felt her leave and the finality of her tone made him rethink whatever things he had to say.

When he was alone, he forced himself to analyze the entire thing. He wasn’t sure he followed, to be honest. Was it just a shag? No strings attached? It wasn’t a perfect scenario, but he’d take it. Fuck, he’d plunge in it face first if it meant being closer to her, to be what she needed him to be. She had to know though. He needed for her to know that for him it wasn’t just a fuck and sooner or later he’d help her realize it.

 

\------

Several weeks rolled as they traveled south, foraying into the Holland Valley, after receiving word the younger Seed held captive one of Dep’s friends. They came down with the newly acquired Peaches, and he soon found cougars weren’t that bad. If they had been properly fed, that was.

“You can pet her, y’know?” the Deputy said, kneeling in front of the huge purring bobcat, scratching the top of her head, cooing as if the giant predator was a cute toddler.

“Ehm- I mean thanks man, but yeah, I rather keep my hand, you know, ah, stuck to my arm as God intended.”

She chuckled, a raspy, low sound he had grown fond of. A warm, fuzzy feeling spread in his chest looking at her sun-bathed face, as she played with Peaches,  the freckled-dusted bridge of her nose wrinkling in the cutest way. Shit. He had it bad.

“Pass me the backpack, please,” she said, reaching her hand to him.

He carried it next to her and when he approached, Peaches nuzzled his leg, rubbing her whiskers as a huge home cat.

“Aw, look at that, she likes you!” She grabbed his hand making him kneel next to her.

“Not sure if this, ah, this new-found love is all that innocent, Shorty. Maybe she likes playin’ with her food.”

“Don’t be silly,” she said, “See? Do this.” She drew his hand behind Peaches ears, her fingers curled around his, as her arm held him by the waist.

She was so close. Closer than she’d never been when they weren’t fucking, and her lavender scent filled his nostrils sweeping coherent thoughts aside. He cocked his head slightly to the side, just to catch a glimpse of those gemstone-like eyes. His heart leaped to his throat when he found her staring at him, a soft pink blush blooming on her cheeks.

Thousand and one words fluttered in his mind, frozen there, just chillin’.

“The sinners are close!”

An enraged scream pierced his ears, both their heads snapping towards the nearby road.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck!” She jumped back to her feet, steadying her rifle ready to hold her ground, hiding behind a tree. Peaches roared, prepared to jump.

It was fucking insane. They were almost out of ammo, and knackered as shit after spending all day running. Fuck. _Think fast_. Peggies were almost 100 feet away.

“Shit, Dep, this is crazy,” he placed his hand lowering her weapon. “I have a friend real close. We can make our way there-- rest for a change?”

“You trust him? How you know he’s no peggie by now?” she said without relaxing her finger on the trigger of her gun, eyes glued to the direction of the yelling.

“Nah, Nick is cool. We can trust him.”

She heaved a sigh.

“Okay. Lead the way.”

When they reached the outskirts of Rye’s and Sons, it was already dark. They dashed, zigzagging among trees and buildings, sheathing in the growing shadows.

“How you know him?” She panted beside him.

“His pops and my dad were friends. I’ve known Nick since always. His wife is really hot, y’know?”

“Funny how you filter your relevant info, man.” She snickered. “You prolly want to leave that bit out when we get there, though.”

They skirted around the corner of the house and they stopped as she kneeled to open his backpack retrieving Peaches meal.

“Stick around, ‘kay?” She scratched the cougar behind her ears, before tossing the meat at her feet. “Be careful, sweetie, and don’t chew peggies. They’re nasty.”

He prayed to whatever god was still in business, the Ryes were ok. He knocked on the wooden door and waited, gripping his shotgun, shielding her.

“Who’s it?”

It was the strained voice of a man, peaks full of aggressiveness.

“Nick? It's me man, Sharky--Sharky Boshaw.”

Muffled steps approached slowly, cautiously, putting them on edge. When the door opened they faced the barrel of a shotgun.

“Woah, man, relax. It's me.” Sharky raised his hands, still standing in front of the Deputy.

“Sharky?” Nick hesitated, lowering slowly his weapon. “What you doing here man?”

“Need a place to crash. We’ve been running our asses off the whole fucking day. Peggies are hard on our heels.”

“Who’s your friend?” Nick cocked his head, trying to see past Sharky’s big frame.

“Eh-maybe you know her.” He gave a step to the side. “Say hi Dep.”

Nick was about to open his mouth to say something when a woman’s voice wafted to them.

“Nick? What’s taking you so long?”

A very pregnant woman stood at the bottom of the stairs, making her way to them.

“It’s Sharky and ah- the Deputy. They need a place to spend the night.”

“Hey Kim,” Sharky said waving at her.

“So, where are your manners?” She smiled at them, lacing an arm around her husband’s waist. “Invite them in before some fucking peggie sees them,” she said pulling Nick inside, gesturing them to follow. “Jesus Nick, don’t be rude.”

“I was about to when you got here sweetpea.” He leaned down, kissing the top of her head, then turning back to them. “Sorry guys, with Kim in her state I can't be careful enough. Just two weeks ago that fucking dipshit of John Seed stole my plane under my very nose-- I still can’t-- I mean nothing happened to Kim and Nick Jr. but I’ve been on my edge ever since.”

Kim looked at her husband with an adoration that struck Sharky right in the middle of his current train of thoughts. How wonderful would be if the Dep could look at him like that. Ha. He couldn’t make her say she liked him, talking about love stuff was a totally different ball game.

“Are you guys hungry? We already had dinner but there's some leftover mashed potatoes and I can fry some meat.” Kim walked to the kitchen already taking bowls and frying pans out.

“Ah, no ma’am, thanks. That's very nice of you but we already ate, and we don't wanna impose. We’re just fagged out,” Rook said, scuffing her feet against the floor as she did when she was feeling out of her element, Sharky noticed.  

“I bet,” Nick said. “There’s a room upstairs but ah- there’s just one bed. I’ve been sleeping on the couch for about two weeks now. Kim needs her space to be comfortable.”

Sharky sucked on a breath. Whatever weird-ass shit was happening between them, sharing a bed wasn’t gonna make it better.

The Deputy answered before he gave it more thought. “We appreciate it a lot sir, and uh-- one bed will be just fine.”

“It’s just upstairs, at the end of the hallway,” Kim said as they both walked behind her. “You guys can use the family bathroom to freshen up, there’s some spare towels you can use.”

 

\---------

The warm water was more than enough to wash the grime, blood, and shit out of his skin. Man, it felt nice. He stayed there for a minute, letting the stream run freely down his skin, rolling his shoulders and stretching his body to work the kinks out of his back. His treacherous thoughts carried him back to the Deputy back in their room, where she was probably preparing for the night, and it suddenly hit him. She had been there just, a couple of minutes ago, fully naked under the same stream, smooth body soaked, rivulets traveling down between those full breasts, all the way down her-- _Don’t be a fucking creep,_ _man_. His cheeks burned when his cock twitched and he groaned, fighting back the thought, ‘cause the last thing he needed right now was to parade with a hard on in front of her, just when they were about to share a single fucking  bed. He closed the hot water tap, ‘til it was just a sharp-cold gush that knocked any previous ideas off his mind. He leaped out the shower, toweling off any excess of water, quickly pulling his shirt, boxers and pants back on, carrying his hoodie on one hand.  

When he entered the room, Dep was standing on the edge of the bed, hair damped and adjusting her sports bra. He tried to remain unfazed, tossing his hoodie aside, shifting his weight from one foot to the other.

“I can sleep on the floor if it makes you feel better,” she said with a flat intonation, but grabbing one of the pillows off the bed with unexpected force.

“What-? Nah, if there’s gonna be someone sleeping on that damn floor, it’d be me,” he said grabbing the twin pillow.

“Or we could share,” she shrugged, “if you’re okay with it.”

“Uh-- yeah, sounds good to me.”

“Also, ah, these are really clean sheets y’know? and I’d hate to stain Kim’s bed, I mean-- look at your jeans man, look at your shirt,” she said signaling him, where splats of mud, blood and other shit just clustered on different spots. “And they’re no better than mine.”

“So?”

He didn’t fail to notice the blush that crept up her neck, flushing up her ears.

“I mean we could sleep in just our underwear, if that’s also okay with you,” she blurted out.

 _Well, fuck me_.

“Sure, eh, yeah, very thoughtful of you Shorty.” He cleared his throat, as his heart hammered so hard against his ribs he was sure, Dep could hear it.

She turned off the lights, and they undressed in the most awkward as shit silence ever. He caught a few glances of her as she fumbled with the zipper of her jeans, just before trying to focus on his own task. The moon bathed the room with its silver light. It could’ve been magical, but it was not.

When he slid under the sheets, she was already there, a radiating warmth he wanted to reach to, cling to, before mentally slapping his hand away.

“So-- Night, Shark,” she whispered, rolling on her side, facing away from him.

“Night, Dep.”

He stared at the ceiling for maybe twenty, thirty minutes, before drifting off at the rhythm of her soft breathing.

He roused feeling a warm pressure against his crotch. Eyes bleary, mind spinning, he tried to wake his foggy brain fully enough to know what was going on. He was laying on his side, an arm draped over Dep’s waist, her round butt perfectly tight against his -now, he realized it- hardening dick. He panicked. It was wrong, she was asleep and he should just maybe scoot back without waking her. He retreated an inch, slowly moving his arm away. She whimpered, unconsciously seeking him, pressing her whole body against his. Oh, man he was fucked.

He closed his eyes, nuzzling the blonde locks splayed on the pillow, wanting to sink in and savor how good it felt to just be able to hold her in his arms. He bit back a moan when she ground slowly against him. The delicious friction had him rock hard within seconds, but even as much as he wanted it, he couldn’t keep going. Not like this. All this fucking for the sake of fucking was all hot and shit, and she was the most beautiful chick he had met, _like ever_ , and saying no would be just dumb. But she had to know. How much he loved her, how since she entered his life that dull ache of loneliness didn’t seem so bad anymore, and that if she asked him---

_Fuck!_

A moan broke from her throat and his mind went to places, breath catching in his lungs. Nope.

“Dep?” He curled his hand over her shoulder, moving her slightly. “Dep? Wake up.”

Her feet pressed against his, twining her leg around his own, as she turned her head.

“You’re here,” she whispered smiling before she pressed her lips against his, a soft brush first, but more intense as the seconds passed, tongues tangling, and teeths clicking, moans and hitching breaths mingling in the space between them.

“I’m always gonna be here Dep, ride or die, ‘member?” He panted, between hot kisses, “I’m a-- I’m’ riding shotgun with ya, ‘til you want it.”

She stopped, bumping noses with him. “Fuck Sharky, you’re my best friend and,” she said, her hot breath puffing against his lips, “I don't know anymore.”

He didn’t know what she meant, so that was still the same and asking right now didn’t seem like a good idea. She guided his hand under the hem of her sports bra, rolling it up, letting him roam over the swell of her breasts. He burrowed his face in the crook between her neck and her shoulder, dizzy of her scent, rolling his hips against hers. He felt her squirming her hips under the sheets, hands working on her black panties, so he drew his curious fingers down, founding endless inches of naked skin. She kicked down her panties and he shed his boxers, unsurprisingly fast, thoughts going in a roundabout path around his desire and his unrequited love.

Muffled moans filled his ears as she took his hand to her lips, sucking his fingers, a groan mixing with a sob in his throat. He rut his hard cock forward, against the cleft of her ass, wanting to just plunge into her, pounding with the giddy enthusiasm of a teenager, like one, two, three, come, all over again. Instead he gulped some air and lined up at her entrance. He slowly pushed his tip into her and she arched at the contact like a tight bowstring, impaling herself on his dick. He slid balls deep effortlessly, moaning at how fucking good it felt.

“Shit, Dep, you’re so fucking wet,” he said propping on one elbow, to see her eyes, to relish every crinkle and line of pleasure drawn by him on her face.“You look so good, fuck, you’re so good.” He curled a hand on her hip, setting a steady pace, kissing the corner of her mouth.

“Ah-- shit, Shark, ah- you feel amazing.”

She was amazing, he thought. Eyes shut, swollen lips, more curves than a highway. She could’ve been starring in one of the worn posters in his room. Why would she look at him the way he did?

He pounded harder, trying to keep at bay the welling tears. _Get your shit together, man._ He slid his other hand under her body, now both clasping at her hips for leverage. In this angle the curved tip of his cock hit against that sweet spot and he took advantage of it. He bit on her shoulder to dampen his growing moans but she was crying out so hard he was sure the Ryes had a pretty good idea of what was happening in the guest room.

He kissed her to swallow down her whimpers, as he felt the surge of his need start to build up. He pressed the pad of his thumb against her clit, wanting to push her over the edge before him, circling it with lazy movements. The outcome was almost instantaneous.

She cast her head back, letting out an almost feral groan, her body shuddering in his arms. Her grip was unbearable and he felt the mind-shattering blast, his senses rushing to a single point of exit, as he came, gripping her tightly against him.

His enhanced senses drank in her closeness and he didn’t want to let her go. Not now. Not ever. They stayed there ‘til it wasn’t hard to breathe, his softening dick still inside her. But the same question gnawed at his brain.

“Dep?” He ventured, heart pounding, “what, ah-what are we doing?”

She rubbed her head on his chest, interlocking her fingers with his over her abdomen.  

“Can we just-- can it be tomorrow? I just-- Please?”

He wanted to coax her to answer him once and for all, but truth was he didn’t know how. So he shut his mouth and closed his arms around her.

“Uh, sure, yeah, that sounds good.”

He drifted off clinging to her, with heart and soul.

___________________

Morning didn’t bid him good news. When he woke up, quickly jumping and putting his clothes back on, she wasn’t in the room. In fact, she wasn’t in the premises at all, as he discovered after looking for her around.

It wasn’t until Kim returned from the barn, that she gave him the news. There was some fucked up broadcast, transmitting on an endless loop since before dawn, featuring John Seed and Deputy Hudson, taunting the Junior Dep. Kim had been there when Rook came down, and had witnessed the rage filling every nerve and vein in her face. She had stormed out, grabbing her rifle and shotgun, packing her ammo and a bottle of water, mumbling something about kick the shitstain where it hurt. Where she was going, it was a mystery.

A hole grew up so big in the pit of his stomach, Sharky’s heart fell in it, a rush of something foul going up his throat. It was a trap and she was going straight to it. He well damn knew it. He sprinted, pushing the screen door with such force he broke a hinge and threw up over the fence.   

He felt the pressure of a hand on his shoulder and turned just to see Nick standing next to him, a glass of water in his hand.

“You gotta help me find her man, I can't--” Sharky clasped the wood as if he wanted to break it.

“Relax man, everything will work out. She’ll be fine,” he said as Sharky gulped the water down, trying to wash away the haziness of his brain. “Maybe she just called someone else.”

“You don't get it dude,” he half-muttered, mind already filled with gross images and revolting possibilities of what John could do if he lay his sick hands on her. There’d been a sharp edge on his voice in just about every radio contact, that Sharky didn’t like one bit.

“You need some food, and stay on the radio, maybe she’ll call for help.”

Sharky heaved a sigh. “Hey Nick-- What would you do if it was Kim, man?”

Nick was already going back into the house when Sharky’s words stopped him in his tracks. He turned on his heels stopping next to Sharky, and placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing a little.

“Come,” Nick said, stepping inside, with the entire world’s commiseration wrapped in just one word.

\----------------

Two days went by as agony became an everlasting state he couldnt get rid off, lending a hand rebuilding Fall’s End, the last place she freed. Someone threw a bomb that exploded right in the middle of his coffee the next morning- _but is it really morning if he didn’t get any shut-eye?_ \- stating Dep was captured by John’s goons near Seed Ranch, and even Sharky knew nobody came back from the Baptist’s pile, the revamp of souls was too deep, the pain, too raw. He was suffocating under uncertainties, where to go, what to do, bending over backwards to find a way to help her. He even tried to drive straight to John’s Bunker, but was soon overrun by peggies. It was a close scrape.

He returned to Fall’s End every night to drink in the Spread Eagle ‘til his head hit a table, where Mary May just let him be. Truth was half-wasted as he was he kind of realized people had stopped giving him shit, more like throwing his questionable past run-ins with law enforcement under the rug. She’d changed that.

Sweet Monkey Jesus, she had to be alive. _Let her be alive_.

On the third day, when he was on his second glass of tequila, sporting a broken lip and a purple jaw, earned in a northern skirmish, he heard an uproar growing rhythmically outside the bar. The doors opened behind him, the commotion reaching him finally. He groaned, not able to smile at all, and turned ready to throw his best wince at whomever disturbed him in his worst fucking moments.

The sight punched him in the lungs, leaving him breathless. Dep was there, torn and injured but smiling at him. He gaped at her. There was a big rip on her right sleeve going up her shoulder, hair loose as she had lost the William Coleman’s cap he once gave her, and yeah there was probably some extra dirt on the hem of her shirt, but she was alive.

“Hey Shark,” she said as everyone around her just retreated as she closed the space between them, “you look like shit.”

‘Hey Shorty, you don’t look so bad yourself,” he said as his eyes stopped on her cut, bloody bottom lip, going up to her swollen brow and purple cheek. But she was smiling, and he blanched knowing by now she could’ve been pushing up daisies.

She sat on the stool next to his, gulping down his unfinished glass of tequila. “Nice.”

She was here. Alive. And all the pain and uncertainty of the last few days scattered into the dusty air around them. He needed to hug her, to hold her, to kiss her and convince himself she wasn’t a mirage. That she was truly back home. With him.

“Can we, uh, can we go outside,?,” Sharky said half expecting her to send him packing.

“Or we can go to Mary May’s office? Is just around the corner,” she said shrugging.

He followed her in a strained silence but when the door closed behind her he surged forward hugging her tightly, his chin resting on the crown of her head.

“Jesus fuck Dep, I shat my pants,” he said with eyes shut, inhaling a deep gulp of air, feeling her hands closing around his waist,  “that was the scariest shit I’ve felt in my life.”

“It’s nice to see you too man, but uh-careful with the squeezing-- Johnny Boy wasn’t very nice.”

He froze at her words, looking fascinated as her hands unbuttoned her ragged, blood stained shirt. A jagged _Wrath_ spread on her chest, edges still puffed and red.

Horror filled his eyes before he could realize it, unconsciously tracing it with callous fingers. She gasped slightly and he quickly pulled off his hand. “Shit, girl-- are, uh, are you okay?” He asked shuddering, a sour bolus going down his throat.

“As good as I can be after a late night rendezvous with the most eligible bachelor of Holland Valley.” She closed her flannel shirt, mirthless green eyes staring at him with, _wait_ , what was that? “Quite handsome chap,” she said with her best british accent.

In other circumstances that would’ve brought a chuckle to his lips, probably followed by two cold ones on the roof of some pillaged, mayonnaise-painted shackle, forgetting he still didn’t know what the fuck was going on between them at this point. Forgetting the anger that still scratched his brain, remembering she just took off, to thrown herself at the arms of fucking danger. Alone.

“Fucking Christ, shorty, what the fuck were you thinkin’? Takin’ your ass to dance with them fucking peggies alone?” He grabbed her by the arms, maybe clasping at her skin a little too tight, voice rasping with sheer desperation.

She held his gaze with an unflappable façade.  “Maybe I wanted to ask John for a date, he’s quite the catch, y’know?”

“Shit you’re impossible sometimes Dep, but okay, fine,” he said letting go the shreds of her rampaged shirt, still standing within her personal space, blood pumping in his temples, “don’t answer me that, it’s cool, just remember ride or die okay? We’re stuck in this together, like we’re friends right? Even if we wrap this up, you’re sticking around--” He cupped her chin, and tempted he was to kiss her again, but it was too personal, they were too in character. There was no darkness to veil their faces, or midnight dreads to blame.

“Holy fuck, Shark, you still don’t get it do you?” She batted his hand away, cheeks red and eyes glinting with unshed tears. The anger reeking from her words, struck him a little.

“Get what? You ain’t saying nothing, you’re just there, looking all badass, and so fucking fine god help me, and I mean sometimes you kiss me and we fuck and it’s like a glorious blast and it’s cool, like more than cool but I just -- what the fuck is going on Dep?” He took a deep breath. Man that was some monumental flare-up but deep down he was proud of himself. At least that was one babble worth of being said.

Her eyes widened for a second, before she squinted and her lips became a thin line. Determination painted in stark lines on her face.

“Fine. Fine. You wanna know? Then I’ll fucking tell you!” She gave a step back, wiping off her tears, “I’m fucking in love with you man, and-- and I didn’t say anything ‘cause every fucking time you open your goddamn mouth I just remember that for you there’s only ‘shakin’ booties’ or ‘eating pussy’ or ‘finger blasting’ women with no names right? ‘cause you’ve said so yourself, how much you love your freedom, and I know, I know that this, what I feel, it’s not what you’re looking for and it’s fine, ‘kay? it’s fine. But I just-- I guess I wanted to know how it would’ve been for you to look at me the way you look at your fucking flamethrower, Josie, or Shirley or I don’t know man, whatever fucking name you have for it. It has a name right?”

He blinked trying to make the gears in his brain start working again. She had strafed him so deep he was still working his way around words he knew where there but didn’t came out. Was he fucking dreaming? Maybe he had went too hard on the booz, but it didn’t seem so. _She loved him_. And wait, she’d asked him something. Maybe that could be the outset.  

“Uh-- yeah I--”

“Of course it has a fucking name.” She pinched the bridge of her nose, cheeks red. “Listen. I’m sorry ‘kay? You’re still my best friend and I guess I’ll understand if you want to y’know-- cut your losses.” She wiped off a tear with the pad of her thumb, and let out a sad chuckle. “Fuck, I made this all weird.”

He grabbed her sagged shoulder and cupped her cheek to steady his mind, brushing the soft, purple skin with his thumb. She leaned into the touch looking at him with a heartbreaking expression.

“To address what you asked me first, I uh-- I named it after I met ya, like after you gunned down those flammable pieces of shit angels, and then we went up to get Hurk and we had that BBQ, and you were all wasted and shit and I carried you back to sleep in you car, and ah-- I don’t know if you have any recollection of that but you kinda hugged me and it felt nice but maybe you were all fuzzed I don’t know man, I just uh- I called it Becks.”

“You named it after me?” she said with utter disbelief.

“Well yeah-- I mean it’s hot like you, and can unleash mayhem, again such as yourself and-- when it’s in my arms, it feels like goddamn home.”

She was shocked into silence, wide eyes and jaw slightly open, so he took it as a cue to keep going.

“What I’m saying is that all those things you said, I mean it’s just my mouth running on auto and it’s not even what I dig, but whenever you’re around looking at me like that and smiling at me, I get all flustered and shit and I just can’t control it man-- you’re everything I fucking want, and more. I love you Dep.”

Her arms wrapped around his frame, her face burrowed in his chest and damn it really felt like home, he thought, nuzzling the crown of her head. He lifted her chin, blue eyes delving deep into her green ones with equal parts joy and adoration, and kissed her, slowly, taking the time to drown in her. It was a loving kiss, his hand cradling her head and his tongue flicking gingerly over her lips, it was the kind of kiss he had always seen in silly romcoms and never fully understood the appeal. ‘Til now.

“So, what now?,” she asked softly, once they decided air was necessary.

“I mean I don't know uh, does this mean you do wanna be my girl?”

“Fuck yeah, I do,” she said beaming at him.

“Alright!” He almost yelped, before clearing his throat, blushing bright red. “I mean cool, cool, just checkin’ y’know?”

“Wanna go grab a beer and some fries?,” she said pulling him by the hand, already turning the knob of the door. “God knows my stomach needs something to work on. ”

“Like a--a date?”

She stopped for a second, and regarded him a crooked smile. “Sure, like a date.”

Sharky grinned, all worries of looking like a love-struck fool, washed by the warm bliss of knowing he was home. “Okay shorty, lead the way.”

  
  
  
  
  



End file.
